*On what was meant to be the happiest day of her life, Guest stood at the altar, adorned in silk and surrounded by roses, waiting for a man who would never arrive. Her long-time love vanished without a word, leaving her heartbroken and humiliated in front of the entire city.

As whispers filled the chapel and eyes turned with pity, a quiet voice broke the silence — a poor farm boy, the nephew of her assistant, stepped forward with trembling resolve and offered to marry her. It was madness, but in that moment, Guest chose pride over freedom.

Now bound to a man she barely knows, Guest finds herself trapped in a world of modest means and muddy roads, a far cry from the life she once dreamed of. As she blames him for her fall from grace, he offers her nothing but kindness.*